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PubMed1991

Estimation of percent overweight within families.

When height and weight cannot be directly measured percent overweight can be estimated using self-reported height and weight, reports of others for height and weight, and matching of body shape to silhouettes. The present study assessed the relative benefits of each method for estimating percent overweight within families, as well as the potential for using matching of silhouettes for diagnosing obesity. Analysis of the relationship between percent overweight and silhouette ratings showed increases in percent overweight across the silhouettes. Correlations between self- or other-reported and measured percent overweight showed that self-reports correlated very highly with measured reports of percent overweight (r = .97, .96 for parents and children, respectively), but parent reports of their spouses and children percent overweight were lower (r = .87, .87) and child reports of sibling or parent percent overweight were even lower (r = .75, .75). Significant increases in accuracy of diagnosing obesity were observed when the combination of adjusted self-reports and silhouettes were used in comparison to self-reports alone.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Overweight and obesity in Canadian adolescents and their associations with dietary habits and physical activity patterns.

PURPOSE: To present recent overweight and obesity prevalence rates for 11-16-year-old Canadian youth and to examine associations between overweight and obesity with dietary habits and leisure-time physical activities. METHODS: Nationally representative sample of 11-16-year-old adolescents (n = 5890) from the Canadian component of the 2001/02 World Health Organization Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Survey were used. Height, weight, dietary habits, and leisure-time activities were determined from self-report. Age- and gender-specific prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were calculated based on international body mass index cut-points. Logistic regression was employed to examine the association among measures of overweight, obesity, and lifestyle habits. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of 11-16-year-old Canadian youth were overweight (preobese) and 4.6% were obese in 2002. These prevalence rates were greater in boys than girls (p < .001), but did not vary according to age. There were no clear associations observed between dietary habits and measures of overweight and obesity. However, physical activity levels were lower (p < or = .05) and television viewing times were higher (p < .01) in overweight and obese boys and girls than normal-weight youth. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in Canadian youth are high. The results suggest that physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors are strongly related to obesity in Canadian adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Prevalence of overweight in children with developmental disorders in the continuous national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) 1999-2002.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of overweight in children identified with developmental disorders on the basis of nationally representative survey data. STUDY DESIGN: We estimated the prevalence of overweight in children with developmental disorders on the basis of a recent large nationally representative survey. The continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 included 4 questions to identify children with developmental disorders. Height and weight were used to calculate body mass index (BMI). BMI percentiles were estimated relative to the age- and sex-specific Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth reference. The 85th percentile BMI defined at-risk-for-overweight and the 95th percentile BMI defined overweight. RESULTS: We found a higher prevalence of at-risk-for overweight and overweight among children with limitations in physical activity and a higher prevalence of overweight in girls with learning disabilities, compared with children without these conditions, after adjustment for age and race-ethnicity. CONCLUSION: To the extent that children with developmental disorders are included in large representative surveys, the data suggest that children with developmental disorders have a risk for overweight that is at least as great as that of typically developing children.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Serum concentrations of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and TNF soluble receptors in women with overweight and obesity.

The aims of the present study was to examine how overweight and obesity affect serum concentrations nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and to determine whether there is association between serum concentrations tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and TNF soluble receptors (sTNF-R) in subjects with overweight and obesity. The study groups involved 154 women: 102 obese (81 obese with body mass index [BMI] 30 to 40 kg/m2 and 21 obese with BMI > 40 kg/m2), 24 overweight patients, and 28 lean controls. Serum concentrations of NO metabolites and of TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors (sTNF-R1, sTNFR-2) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Serum concentration of insulin was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Plasma glucose, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and triglicerydes were determined by enzymatic procedure. Body composition was determined by impedance analysis using Bodystat (Douglas, British Isles). Serum concentrations of NO in the overweight group (35.1 +/- 12.1 micromol/L) and the obese groups with BMI 30 to 40 kg/m2 (32.8 +/- 9.3 micromol/L) and with BMI greater than 40 kg/m2 (33.3 +/- 8.5 micromol/L) were significantly higher when compared to controls (28.2 +/- 8.1 micromol/L): P < .05; P < .01, and P < .01, respectively. There was no difference in levels of NO between the overweight group and both obese groups. Serum concentration of TNF-alpha was also significantly higher in the group with overweight (6.5 +/- 3.1 pg/mL), in the obese group with BMI 30 to 40 kg/m2 (6.8 +/- 3.1 pg/mL), and in the obese group with BMI greater than 40 kg/m2 (7.4 +/- 2.6 pg/mL) when compared to controls (2.9 +/- 2.2 pg/mL): P < .00005; P < .00005, and P < .0000001, respectively. However, serum concentrations of sTNF-R1 and -R2 did not differ significantly between the overweight group, both obese groups, and controls. In conclusion, we observed increased serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and NO in overweight and obese women. It seems that there is an association between serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and NO; however, this relationship depends on the degree of obesity.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Macrosomia does not predict overweight in late adolescence in infants of diabetic mothers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive value of macrosomia for overweight later in adult life in infants of diabetic mothers. DESIGN: Data from the computerized records of the Jerusalem Perinatal Study were matched to measurements made at age 17 obtained from the military draft medical examination records. PARTICIPANTS: 10,891 infants born in Jerusalem between November 1974 and February 1976. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Macrosomia based on 90th percentile birth weight for gestational age and overweight defined as the 90th percentile for body mass index at age 17. RESULTS: Diabetes was diagnosed in 87 (0.8%) of the mothers. Thirty-one (35.6%) of the infants of the diabetic mothers were macrosomic compared to 1012 (9.4%) of the siblings of nondiabetic mothers (p < 0.001). At 17 years of age 10.3% vs. 9.4% of the siblings of diabetic vs. nondiabetic mothers were overweight (p > 0.05). The rate of adolescent overweight in macrosomic vs. nonmacrosomic subjects was 12.3% vs. 9.7% (p < 0.01) in siblings of nondiabetic mothers, and 16.1% vs. 7.1% (p > 0.05) for diabetic mothers. The sensitivity and specificity, in diabetic mothers, of macrosomia for overweight at age 17 was 44.4% and 66.7%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive value of macrosomia for overweight at age 17 was 16.1% and 92.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of adolescent overweight was significantly increased among macrosomic infants, although this trend did not reach statistical significance in the smaller group of infants born to diabetic mothers. Macrosomia among infants of diabetic mothers had little predictive value for overweight in late adolescence.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

The relationship of ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, and overweight in US adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent to which race/ethnic differences in income and education account for sex-specific disparities in overweight prevalence in white, African American, Hispanic, and Asian U.S. teens. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We used nationally representative data collected from 13113 U.S. adolescents enrolled in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship of family income and parental education to overweight prevalence (body mass index >or= 85th percentile of age and sex-specific cutoff points from the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics growth charts). In addition, we used coefficients from our logistic regression models to project the effects on overweight prevalence of equalizing the socioeconomic status (SES) differences between race/ethnic groups. RESULTS: Keeping adolescents in their same environments and changing only family income and parental education had a limited effect on the disparities in overweight prevalence. Ethnicity-SES-overweight differences were greater among females than males. Given that overweight prevalence decreased with increasing SES among white females and remained elevated and even increased among higher SES African-American females, African-American/white disparity in overweight prevalence increased at the highest SES. Conversely, disparity was lessened at the highest SES for white, Hispanic, and Asian females. Among males, disparity was lowest at the average SES level. DISCUSSION: One cannot automatically assume that the benefits of increased SES found among white adults will transfer to other gender-age-ethnic groups. Our findings suggest that efforts to reduce overweight disparities between ethnic groups must look beyond income and education and focus on other factors, such as environmental, contextual, biological, and sociocultural factors.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Overweight children's barriers to and support for physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: As the epidemic of overweight increases among youth, research needs to examine factors that may influence children's participation in weight-related health behaviors. This study examined overweight children's perceived barriers to and support for physical activity compared with nonoverweight children. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Barriers to and support for physical activity were examined among 84 overweight children attending a summer fitness camp or a university-based weight loss clinic. Barriers and support levels were then compared with those of 80 nonoverweight children of a similar age range. RESULTS: Body-related barriers were the most predominant barrier type among overweight youth, especially among overweight girls. Overweight children, particularly girls, reported significantly higher body-related, resource, and social barriers to physical activity compared with nonoverweight children and lower levels of adult support for physical activity. DISCUSSION: Overweight children may be particularly vulnerable to body-related barriers to physical activity, and reducing such barriers may serve as physical activity intervention points most relevant for overweight youth. Future interventions may also benefit from enhancing support for physical activity from adults and peers.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Development of overweight associated with childbearing depends on smoking habit: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate whether childbearing leads to development of overweight in women and to evaluate the role of other known risk factors. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A prospective, multicenter observational study, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study from 1986 to 1996, examined subjects at baseline and in follow-up years 2, 5, 7, and 10. Included were 998 (328 black and 670 white) nulliparous women, age 18-30 years, who were not overweight at baseline. Relative odds for incident overweight (BMI > or = 25 kg/m2) associated with parity change (0, 1, or 2+) and risk factors were estimated using discrete-time survival models adjusted for baseline and time-dependent covariates. RESULTS: Parity change-association with development of overweight depended on smoking habit (interaction, p < 0.001). In multivariate adjusted models, 1 and 2+ births vs. 0, respectively, were associated with increased risk for development of overweight among never smokers [odds ratio (OR) = 2.66; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.80, 3.93, and 2.10, 95% CI: 1.24, 3.56] and decreased risk among current smokers (OR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.96, and 0.36, 95% CI: 0.08, 1.65). Risk was increased for black vs. white race (OR = 3.49; 95% CI: 2.59, 4.69), frequent weight cycling (OR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.04), and high school education or less (OR = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.50, 3.26) and was decreased for highest physical activity quartile (OR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.90). DISCUSSION: Childbearing contributes to development of overweight in nonsmokers but not in smokers, where development of overweight is less likely in women who bear children. Race, education, and behaviors are important factors in development of overweight in young women.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Family dinner and adolescent overweight.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between frequency of family dinner and overweight status in a large sample of 9- to 14-year-old children. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We studied a cohort of 7784 girls and 6647 boys, 9 to 14 years of age at baseline in 1996, participating in the Growing Up Today Study. From annual mailed surveys, we calculated BMI from self-reported height and weight and assessed frequency of family dinner over the previous year. We defined "overweight" as age- and sex-specific BMI >85th percentile. We performed multiple logistic regression analyses; the longitudinal analyses assessed the association of previous year family dinner consumption with 1-year incidence of becoming overweight, using prospective data from 1996 through 1999. RESULTS: At baseline in 1996, 16% of participants had family dinner "never or some days," 40% on "most days," and 44% "every day." Across these categories, overweight prevalence for girls was 19.4%, 16.6%, and 16.7% and for boys was 24.6%, 23.3%, and 22.7%, respectively. In cross-sectional analyses, adjusting for potential confounders, the odds of being overweight was 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76, 0.96] among children who ate family dinner on "most days" or "every day" compared with those who ate family dinner "never or some days." In longitudinal multivariate models, the odds ratios between previous year frequency of eating family dinner and 1-year incidence of becoming overweight were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.78, 1.16) and 1.04 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.27) for children who ate family dinner on "most days" and "every day," respectively, compared with those who ate family dinner "never or some days." DISCUSSION: The frequency of eating family dinner was inversely associated with overweight prevalence at baseline but not with likelihood of becoming overweight in longitudinal analyses.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Obesity and overweight prevalence in Polish 7- to 9-year-old children.

OBJECTIVE: Secular trend in childhood obesity is a well-known phenomenon, and it is important to monitor it in cross-sectional studies. The study aim was to estimate prevalence of obesity and overweight in Polish 7- to 9-year-old children and to compare the results with a French study based on the same protocol. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The study was conducted in 2001 according to the protocol of the European Childhood Obesity Group. Height and weight were measured, and BMI was calculated to define nutritional status in a randomly selected group of 2916 (1445 girls and 1471 boys) primary school children. Obesity and overweight were estimated according to International Obesity Task Force references with curve for obesity and overweight passing through 30 and 25 kg/m(2) at age 18, respectively. RESULTS: Overweight (including obesity) was found in 15.4% of Polish children (in 15.8% of girls and 15.0% of boys) and obesity in 3.6% (3.7% of girls and 3.6% of boys) compared with 18.1% of overweight and 3.8% of obese children in French study. There was no significant difference in nutrition status between Polish and French children except for higher frequency of overweight in French 9-year-old boys. The same trend of decreasing overweight through age classes was observed in both populations. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of obesity and overweight (including obesity) in prepubertal children estimated in two European countries according to the same protocol and using the same references showed little differences between the two populations despite higher prevalence of obesity in Polish than French adults.

Body Mass Index↗

PubMed2005

Trends in overweight and obesity in Portugal: the National Health Surveys 1995-6 and 1998-9.

OBJECTIVE: To assess overweight and obesity trends in the Portuguese population. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: National Health Surveys, conducted in 1995-6 (17,989 men; 20,249 women) and 1998-9 (17,923 men; 20,302 women), were used. RESULTS: In men, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 39.9% (95% CI: 39.2 to 40.6) and 10.3% (95% CI: 9.9 to 10.7), respectively, in 1995-6, to 42.5% (95% CI: 41.8 to 43.2) and 11.5% (95% CI: 11.0 to 12.0), respectively, in 1998-9. In women, prevalence of obesity increased from 12.7% (95% CI: 12.2 to 13.2) in 1995-6 to 14.2% (95% CI: 13.7 to 14.6) in 1998-9, whereas the prevalence of overweight remained stable: 32.2% (95% CI: 31.6 to 32.9) in 1995-6 and 32.3% (95% CI: 31.6 to 32.9) in 1998-9. In men, prevalence of overweight and obesity were higher among former smokers and educational group of 6 to 12 years, and prevalence of obesity was higher in the Lisbon region. In women, prevalence of overweight and obesity were higher among never smokers, and prevalence of obesity was higher among educational group of -6 years. Prevalence of obesity was higher in the Alentejo region, and overweight was higher in the Center region. Finally, prevalence of obesity increased in both sexes for all strata studied (age, smoking status, educational level, and geographic region), whereas prevalence of overweight increased only in men. DISCUSSION: In Portugal, overweight and obesity levels are related to sociodemographic factors; the increase in obesity levels stresses the need for preventive measures.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Children at high risk for overweight: a classification and regression trees analysis approach.

OBJECTIVE: Early identification of children at high risk for childhood overweight is a major challenge in fighting the obesity epidemic. We tried to identify the most powerful set of combined predictors for childhood overweight at school entry. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A classification and regression trees analysis on risk factors for childhood overweight in 4289 children 5 to 6 years of age participating in the obligatory school entry health examination 2001/2002 in Bavaria, Germany, was performed. Parental questionnaires asked for children's weight at birth and 2 years, breastfeeding history, maternal smoking in pregnancy, parental education, parental overweight/obesity, nationality, and number of older siblings. Overweight was defined according to sex- and age-specific BMI cut-points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force. RESULTS: Prevalence of overweight was 11% among the entire study population. Although high early weight gain >10,000 grams was found in about one-half of the overweight children, its positive predictive value reached only 25%, indicating that one of four children with a high early weight gain is overweight at school entry. The best reliable set of predictors included high early weight gain and obese parents and accounted for a likelihood ratio of 3.6, with a corresponding positive predictive value of 40%, and was found in 4% of all children. DISCUSSION: A combination of predictors available at 2 years of age could improve predictability of overweight at school entry. However, corresponding low positive predictive values indicate a precision of the prediction that might be insufficient for targeting intervention programs for identified high-risk children.

Birth Weight↗

PubMed2006

Trends in overweight from 1980 through 2001 among preschool-aged children enrolled in a health maintenance organization.

OBJECTIVE: To examine overweight trends over a 22-year period among preschool-aged children from primarily middle-income families enrolled in a health maintenance organization. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: From well-child care visits to a Massachusetts health maintenance organization, we randomly selected one visit per child per calendar year, yielding a study sample of 120,680 children seen at 366,109 visits from 1980 through 2001. Using multivariate logistic regression models accounting for repeated observations of individual children across years, we estimated trends in prevalence of overweight (weight-for-length/height > or = 95th percentile) and at-risk-for-overweight (85th to 95th percentile). RESULTS: Over the 22-year study period, the observed prevalence of overweight increased from 6.3% to 10.0% and at-risk-for-overweight increased from 11.1% to 14.4%. These increases were evident among all groups of children including infants < 6 months of age. Overall, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.21 per decade (95% confidence interval, 1.17 to 1.25) for overweight and 1.06 per decade (95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.08) for at-risk-for-overweight. DISCUSSION: Rates of overweight are increasing in very young children, even infants, from primarily middle-class families.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed2000

Overweight as an adverse prognostic factor for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy and autograft.

Despite detailed evaluation of disease-associated prognostic factors, little is known about the impact of overweight in autograft programs for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients. In order to address this issue, 121 NHL patients were retrospectively evaluated. They had been upfront (92 patients) or in relapse (29 patients) and received high-dose sequential (HDS) chemotherapy including peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) autograft. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters; overweight was defined as BMI > or = 28. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the prognostic implication of overweight and other known prognostic indicators on overall (OS) and event-free (EFS) survival for the entire group and overweight and non-overweight (reference) subgroups. With a median follow-up of 3 years, the estimated 5-year OS and EFS for the entire group were 58% and 49%, respectively. Twenty-eight patients (23%) had BMI > or = 28. Their median OS and EFS were 2.2 and 1.4 years, respectively, whereas median OS and EFS for the reference group have not been reached, with a 5-year projection of 65 and 55%, respectively (P < 0.002). On multivariate analysis, the risk of death among overweight patients was 2.9 (CI, 1.3-6.2) times that of the reference group; using EFS as the end point, a similar association between overweight and survival was observed. In conclusion, in high-risk NHL patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy and PBPC autografting overweight is associated with a poorer outcome.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

The association between television viewing and overweight among Australian adults participating in varying levels of leisure-time physical activity.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of physical activity on the association between television viewing and overweight (body mass index (BMI) > or =25 kg/m2). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study administered by interview to adults randomly selected from the electronic white pages. SUBJECTS: 3392 adults (64% response rate) from a representative population sample in the State of New South Wales, Australia. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported height and weight, two-week leisure-time physical activity recall, one-week average television viewing recall. RESULTS: BMI and physical activity patterns were both associated with hours of television watched. Compared to those participants who reported watching less than one hour of television per day, those watching 1 to 2.5 hours were 93% more likely to be overweight (BMI>/=25 kg/m2), those watching 2.5 to 4 hours were 183% more likely to be overweight, those watching more than 4 hours per day were four times more likely to be overweight. Physical activity was not directly associated with being overweight, but an interaction between activity and television watching was present. Respondents in the low, moderate and high physical activity categories who reported watching more than 4 hours of television per day were twice as likely to be overweight compared to those who watched less than one hour of television per day, irrespective of physical activity participation. CONCLUSIONS: With approximately half the Australian adult population overweight or obese, these findings indicate that public health strategies to reduce overweight and prevent weight gain may need to focus on reducing sedentary behaviours such as television viewing in addition to increasing physical activity.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Inverse association of overweight and breast feeding in 9 to 10-y-old children in Germany.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether breast feeding is associated with prevalent overweight in pre-adolescent children. METHODS: Cross-sectional studies of 9 to 10-y-old children attending fourth grade in 1995/1996 in Dresden (n=1046) and Munich (n=1062), Germany, according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase II protocol. A comprehensive questionnaire including detailed breast feeding history was filled out by the child's parent. Height and weight were measured in a random subsample of children undergoing spirometry. Overweight was defined as body mass index > or =90th age- and sex-specific percentile of the German reference. RESULTS: While the prevalence of overweight differed substantially between Dresden (girls 9.1%, boys 12.5%) and Munich (17% both), we observed a markedly lower overweight prevalence among breast fed than non-breast fed children in both cities. Controlling for age, sex and city, breast-fed children were substantially less likely to be overweight at 9-10 y (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41-0.74). Results were slightly attenuated after adjustment for nationality, socio-economic status, number of siblings, parental smoking (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.87). A longer overall duration and duration of exclusive breast feeding was associated significantly with decreasing prevalence of overweight. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the importance and possible preventive potential of early nutrition in the development of overweight in children. Both feeding behaviors acquired by the nursing infant and metabolic effects may contribute to the observed inverse association of breast feeding and overweight in children.

Body Mass Index↗

PubMed2002

Parent-reported health status of overweight and obese Australian primary school children: a cross-sectional population survey.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood overweight/obesity is associated with poor physical and psychosocial health in clinical samples. However, there is little information on the health status of overweight and obese children in the community, who now represent a large proportion of the child population. We examined parent-reported child health and well-being and parent concern about child weight by body mass index (BMI) category in a population sample of primary school children. DESIGN: A stratified two-stage random cluster sample of 24 primary schools representative of the state of Victoria, Australia. MEASURES: BMI (weight/height(2)) transformed to normalised Z-scores using the 1990 UK Growth Reference; the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), a 13-scale 50-item parent-completed measure of health and well-being; parent self-reported height and weight; parent concern about child's weight. RESULTS: Data were available for 2863 children aged 5-13 y (50.5% male), of whom 17% were overweight and 5.7% obese. Using logistic regression analyses with 'normal weight' as the referent category, obese boys were at greater risk of poor health (ie <15th centile) on seven of the 12 CHQ scales: Physical Functioning (odds ratio (OR) 2.8), Bodily Pain (OR 1.8), General Health (OR 3.5), Mental Health (OR 2.8), Self Esteem (OR 1.8), Parent Impact-Emotional (OR 1.7) and Parent Impact-Time (OR 1.9). Obese girls were at greater risk of poor health on only two scales: General Health (OR 2.1) and Self Esteem (OR 1.8). Forty-two percent of parents with obese children and 81% with overweight children did not report concern about their child's weight. Parents were more likely to report concern if the child was obese (OR 21.3), overweight (OR 3.5) or underweight (OR 5.4) than normal weight (P<0.05). Concern was not related to child gender, parental BMI or parental education after controlling for child BMI. Perceived health and well-being of overweight/obese children varied little by weight category of the reporting parent (overweight vs non-overweight). CONCLUSIONS: Parents were more likely to report poorer health and well-being for overweight and obese children (particularly obese boys). Parental concern about their child's weight was strongly associated with their child's actual BMI. Despite this, most parents of overweight and obese children did not report poor health or well-being, and a high proportion did not report concern. This has implications for the early identification of such children and the success of prevention and intervention efforts. DOI:10.1038/sj/ijo/0801974

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Long-period accelerometer monitoring shows the role of physical activity in overweight and obesity.

CONTEXT: Physical activity (PA) plays an important role in obesity. A new accelerometer has been developed to assess total energy expenditure as well as PA. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of PA with overweight and obesity in Japanese men and women, a large cross-sectional study was performed using a single-axis accelerometer. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Population-based cross-sectional study of Japanese 18-84 y of age. Height, body weight and PA were measured in 400 male and 388 female Japanese volunteers from 1999 to 2000. The outcome measurements were overweight and obesity, which are defined as a body mass index >/=25 kg/m(2). PA was measured for 1 to 4 weeks and was then categorized into three activity levels, which were defined as light, moderate and vigorous PA. RESULTS: Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 22.3%. Number of steps and time spent in moderate and vigorous PA per day were lower in overweight and obese individuals. No difference was found in time spent in light PA. Individuals who are in the 4th and 5th quintile of moderate and vigorous PA showed a significantly lower body mass index. When odd ratios (ORs) of overweight and obesity estimated by logistic regression were used as effect measures, overweight and obesity were negatively associated with vigorous PA (ORs=0.91). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that overweight and obese individuals have a lower step rate and are spending less time for moderate to vigorous PA. Participation in vigorous PA is an important predictor of overweight and obesity.

Adolescent↗